The Story of Abdullah bin Ja’far and Abdullah bin Zubair

Abdullah Bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anhuma): Hadhrat Ja’far Tayyar (Radhiyallaho anho) is a cousin of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and a brother of Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho anho). His whole family is renowned for magnanimity, generosity, valor and heroism, but Hadhrat Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho) had a special love for the poor and often mingled and associated with them. He emigrated to Abyssinia with the other Muslims at the time of the persecution by Qureysh, and he was the spokesman who so successfully defended the emigrants in the court of the Negus. This story we have already given in

Chapter I. After returning from Abyssinia, he emigrated to Madinah and was martyred in the expedition of Mootah. On receiving the news of his death, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) went to his house to console his family. He called his sons Abdullah, Aun and Muhammad (Radhiyallaho anhum), consoled them and blessed them with his prayers. All his sons were cast in the mould of their father, but Hadhrat Abdullah (Radhiyallaho acho) was so generous and large-hearted that people called him “Qutbus Sakha” (the chief of the generous). He embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) when he was barely seven. Once on his recommendation, his uncle Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho anho) helped some person in his need. The person sent four thousand dirhams as a present to Hadhrat Abdullah (Radhiyallaho anho), but he returned the whole lot saying:

“We people don’t sell our good deeds.”

Upon another occasion, somebody sent him two thousand dirhams as a present: and he spent all of them in charity there and then. A trader once happened to bring a large quantity of sugar for sale in the market, but as chance would have it, there was no demand for the commodity just then and this grieved him very much. Hadhrat Abdullah (Radhiyallaho anho) purchased the whole lot through

his agent, and distributed it (free) among the people. He always acted as a host to all the strangers who were stranded in the city during the night.

Hadhrat Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho), when participating in his last battle, called his son Hadhrat Abdullah (Radhiyallaho anho) to his side and confided to him that he had a premonition that this was going to be his last fight, in which he was destined to fall, adding that if it turned out to be so, Hadhrat Abdullah (Radhiyallaho anho) was to clear all his debts. He further admonished his son to call upon his ‘Master’ if he encountered any difficulty in doing so. His son, a bit puzzled, inquired as to who his Master was? “Allah,” replied Hadhrat Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho). The same day he met his fate. When Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho) checked the accounts of his father, he discovered debts that amounted to no less than two million dirhams. Having the reputation of being as honest and trustworthy a person as any that ever breathed, people flocked to him for the safe deposit of their money. He invariably address them like this:

“Dear brethren, I posses no vaults for the safe-keeping of your deposits. I will treat them as loans to me, and you may take the same back when you please.”

He would then spend the money on the poor and the needy. By and by, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho) cleared all the debts of his father. He says:

“Whenever I experienced any difficulty, I would pray (to Allah) ‘0, Master of Zubair, help me,’ and the difficulty would be removed.”

He narrates an incident with Hadhrat Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho) to whom he had gone on business.

Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho):

“I find from the accounts of my father that you owe him one million dirham.”

Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho):

“All right. You can have the money when you please.”

On checking the accounts once again, however, he found that it was his mistake, and in fact this much money was due to Hadhrat Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallahoanho) from his father. He therefore went to him again and said:

Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho):

“Excuse me. It was my mistake. In fact my father owed you that much money.”

Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho):

“If that is the case, I remit the debt.”

Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho):

“No, I must pay it.”

Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho):

“All right. You may pay it at your convenience.”

Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho):

“Will you accept some land in lieu thereof? (He had received some land as his share of booty. and he wanted to dispose of it.”)

Abdullah bin Ja’far (Radhiyallaho anho):

“Yes, if it suits you.”

Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho). says, “I made over to him a piece of waterless land. He asked his slave to go and spread his prayer-mat in that land. He then went and said two rakaats of Salaat, spending a long time in Sajdah. On finishing the Salaat, he pointed out a certain spot to his slave, and ordered him to dig at that particular place. After a little digging, water gushed forth from the pit.”

The qualities of the Sahabah mentioned here were part of their every-day life. In fact, these things were not considered to be anything unusual.